100 Places To Remember: Naukluft Park, Namibia
Geschreven op 2-2-2010 - Erik van Erne. Geplaatst in Natuur
Land of Open Spaces. The Namibian Desert is believed to be the oldest desert in the world. Straddling the Atlantic coast of south-west Africa, it is home to the biggest migrating dunes in the world. Shaped by the west wind from the Atlantic, they reach heights of 300 metres. Namibia means Land of open spaces, and is named after the desert.
The dunes move at a speed of about 20 metres a year. Further inland, they merge with a landscape of bush and savannah, rich in grass, scattered trees and a wealth of rare plants and animal species unique to the region. Ancient nomadic tribes have roamed here for centuries, searching for pastures to feed their cattle.
Moisture from the sea in the form of fog and rain carried on the westerly wind is crucial for the sparse flora and wildlife, and indeed for all life in the bush and savanna.
Climate change is expected to increase the strength of the Atlantic winds and induce more frequent droughts in the Namibian Desert. In turn, this will lead to a dramatic increase in the number of migrating dunes, which will travel eastwards across the land at a faster rate, threatening the vegetation, wildlife and traditional way of life of the nomads.
It is estimated that a temperature rise of 2.1ºC would wipe out 41-51% of Namibias unique flora and wildlife. Within the next 80 years, temperatures are projected to rise by up to 3.5ºC.
